The Sword in the Stone

Release Date: December 25, 1963

Watch Date: March 11, 2024

“According to legend, only someone with honor, decency and inner strength can claim the throne of England by pulling out the enchanted sword that lies locked in a massive stone. Many brave knights have tried, so it seems impossible that a young apprentice known as Wart could succeed. But with the guidance of the wizard Merlin, help from some hilarious friends and true strength of character, Wart just might become England’s greatest king.”

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   I did not grow up watching ‘The Sword in the Stone’.

   I grew up watching a VHS Disney-Sing-Along and it contained exactly one song from this movie, the song Merlin sings when he’s packing, and that is my entire experience with this film.

   Bob’s only experience was seeing the Disney+ freeze frame on the movie selection screen, which is Merlin and Arthur as fish. He was thoroughly confused. I had to assure him that it would make sense once he watched the film, and to my credit, he admitted that it did.

   This movie isn’t really as exciting as you’d hope a movie about King Arthur would be. It’s more of a series of educational shorts, and not even really for modern day kids, it’s about Arthur’s education. What makes the world go round and why it’s okay to let squirrels fall in love with you when you’ve been magically transformed into a squirrel. There’s not even really a villain, if you don’t count Madam Mim, which I don’t really. She’s a foil to Merlin, but not really an enemy. It just leads to a sequence where the two wizards transform into different animals to try and one up one another. It’s cute and a little funny, but it doesn’t really add to anything.

   Our toddler adored this film, and Bob tried not to fall asleep and our six year old was only partly interested. That should kind of give you the age range for people that will be interested in this film. It’s light, it’s charming, it’s quick. Merlin and Madam Mim have become classic Disney characters. But that’s all it’s really given us as a legacy.

   We’re entering a less than great era of animated Disney films, so let’s just hold on for the ride and know the Renaissance will come. One day.